Sunday, May 24, 2009

District (Stake) Conference

Last evening was the first session of our Conference. Speakers and music alternated between Latvian and Russian--at least until President and Sister Dance spoke. And they each had a translater at their side as they spoke. Another translator for each was in the congregation, speaking the other language into a microphone that was connected to headsets. It was wonderful to hear President and Sister Dance. They also showed segments from the 2008 Worldwide Training (President Packer and President Monson) and we had written copies of their words so could read along. The video was dubbed over in the other two languages.

This afternoon, a beautiful sunny day, we gathered in the World Trade Center in Riga for the session of Conference. Again, everything was in Latvian and Russian, except the talks by President and Sister Dance who, again, had translaters. This time we had headsets with an Elder translating in English for us. The messages were great. It was also wonderful to hear the names of 4 of our converts of less than a year who were sustained to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood.

The "crisis" is a huge topic of conversation here (financial problems/lack of employment, etc) and the District President and President Dance each addressed that. President Dance taught from the scriptures that faith is a choice. I was reminded of the talk Elder Lynn G. Robbins gave as a new General Authority (I was his secretary at the time and worked on the talk with him). He taught that love is a choice.

We are so blessed to have the gift of Agency and we do, in fact, choose whether we will love someone and whether or not we will live by faith. I thought it is true, also, that anger is a choice as is fear. I choose to walk in faith and to love!